DULUTH – Cirrus Aircraft sales dropped 10% last year compared to a record 2019 due to pandemic challenges, but the Duluth-based private aircraft manufacturer ended the year on an upswing.
Cirrus, which makes the top-selling SR Series piston airplanes and Vision personal jets, moved 420 planes last year after selling 465 in 2019, according to a recent report from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.
"As expected, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted general aviation and stifled the industry's growth," association CEO Pete Bunce said in a statement. "While we continue to face headwinds globally, all signs point to strong demand for our products and services."
Cirrus saw its steepest drop in sales in the spring, when uncertainty over the pandemic's effect on the economy caused quarterly sales to plummet nearly 40% year over year. The company furloughed employees and started making personal protective equipment.
Sales improved steadily after that, with third-quarter shipments exceeding 2019 levels by 9% and fourth-quarter shipments 23% ahead of the previous quarter.
"It is encouraging to see that segments of our industry saw a solid rebound in the fourth quarter of 2020," Bunce said.
In total the company reported $491.7 million in billings in 2020. Sales of the $2 million Vision jet helped drive record billings of $547.3 million in 2019.
Cirrus has more than 100 jobs advertised for its facilities in Duluth, Grand Forks, N.D. and Knoxville, Tenn. It had about 1,600 employees across all locations before the pandemic, with a majority of them in Duluth.
